The Elements of Love
by UnweptFlynn
Summary: The world had a lot of problems, and the Elements of Harmony can't always be there to fix it. When a dark magic threatens the crystal kingdom, Princess Cadance is forced to bring together six strangers to form the Elements of Love. Together, they must journey to uncover the mystery behind this evil magic. That is, if they can even decide where to get a decent bagel...
1. In Dire Need

The gleaming streets of the Crystal Kingdom were absolutely dead. The road seemed to warp and twist as the terrible blackness moved across the land. Carriages and chariots were left in the streets, abandoned in a hurry. A few homes had messages hastily painted on their walls, scribbled on by shaking hooves, all of which shared the same message. "GET OUT."

Although it was just past noon, the once-beautiful kingdom was shrouded in darkness. A swathing darkness, unrelenting in its devastation, a devourer of light itself. A force that knows no friend or foe, pleasure or fear, only the corrupted bleakness it spreads. A giant, melancholy, cloud-like shroud covered the prosperous city. Only a tiny sliver of light shone through the malicious clouds, providing dim illumination to a small shadow evading another shadow.

The small shadow was a young pony; a mare only on the cusp of adulthood. She was a crystal pony, her mane and fur glistening and twinkling despite the overcast. However, despite her almost ethereal appearance, the mare's features were stricken with fear. She galloped through the streets of her abandoned home, looking for any sign of salvation. Behind her, some kind of dark entity advanced, silently but swiftly chasing the poor pony.

The crystal mare turned into a ruined house, half of which had been reduced to rubble from the initial purge. Panting heavily, the mare looked back to find the shadow still chasing her, looking to devour her just as it did her friends. Letting out a shriek, the gleaming pony hopped over the mounds of rubble, trying to escape the darkness's grasp.

She made her way through a back door, heading once again into the open world. She came upon a chain-link fence blocking her path. But the unmerciful being trailed close behind, gulping the small house behind her into oblivion. Seeing no other way out, the mare quickly grabbed onto the metal barrier and began to climb. The shadow extended a long, gangly tentacle towards the climbing figure. It was just about to wrap around the crystal pony's hind leg when she slipped over the fence, landing hard against the ground.

The pony was just about to take a breather, thinking that she had escaped the shadow's wrath. But to her horror, tiny black tentacles began to seep through the fence, grasping for her body. Thinking fast, she proceeded to trot down the alleyway, with the entity picking up speed.

But to her surprise, the alleyway culminated into a dead end. Panicked, the mare turned the other way, only to find the shadow blocking her path. The dark being raised itself up in the air, almost as though it were mocking the trapped prey. The shimmering pony smacked her hooves desperately against the wall, but to no avail. Then, the shaking pony turned around to see the last sight she would ever see: two red eyes, staring maliciously at her.

The crystalline pony let out an anguished scream before the black entity swallowed her in darkness.

xxx

Celestia marched down the long hallway in the dead of night, her eyes drooping from the loss of sleep. The moon's light faintly illuminated the corridor, dimly shining through the stained glass windows. Stars twinkled proudly over the mystical jewel of Equestria, providing no hint to the horrors that were taking place in a far-off land.

The princess of the sun had been suddenly awoken by one of her Royal Guards, who simply said it was a "dire" emergency. That was all she was able to get out of him before the stallion trotted out of the room, for some reason afraid of waking the sun goddess from her slumber. And who could blame him? Even immortal deities needed their beauty sleep.

Part of her wanted to get back to bed and let Luna sort this one out. After all, it _was _her shift. But Celestia could just sense something was off, so she willed herself to start walking to her throne room.

She swung the mighty door open to find not her sister, or even one of her subjects, but Princess Cadance pacing around the room. Now if her sister had called her in, she would have understood the interruption. But her _niece_ issuing the summons; that was quite peculiar.

At that moment, Princess Luna flew into the throne room from her watchtower, completing the trio of alicorns. The sisters exchanged confused looks at each other, obviously not knowing the purpose of Cadance's visit. Rubbing her eyes, Princess Celestia said tiredly, "Cadance, what do you want? You're not waking me up in the middle of the night for some décor advice again, are you?"

"No, no, not this time Auntie," Cadance replied, looking quite distraught.

The regal ruler could sense the fear laced in her niece's voice, and she asked gently, "Whatever is the problem, dear?"

The pink pony sat on the ground with her hoof held up to her mouth, her eyes trained sadly on the ground. Cadance said quietly, "It's…it's the Crystal Kingdom. Something terrible is happening. I-I'm afraid there isn't much time to explain."

"Where is Shining Armor?" Luna questioned.

"He stayed behind to lead the evacuation," the princess replied, showing concern for her beloved husband. "I hope he's alright. The darkness…it was terrible Auntie. All of sudden, it rushed in and-." Cadance found herself unable to continue, the foul memory still fresh in her mind. The sight of her kingdom…swallowed up under her watch.

Celestia asked quickly, "Well what would you have us do, Cadance? Shall I send a legion of my guards?"

"No!" her niece replied. "Believe me; we have tried battling it head-on. But this sort of threat is nothing we have ever seen! You see, I came here because I…" She paused, as though she were about to admit she was going to drop a bomb.

Finally, she uttered, "Well…I need to use the Elements."

Celestia, obviously confused, told her niece, "The Elements? Well, I'm afraid Twilight Sparkle and her friends are off on an ambassador mission in Veneighzuela. I can't just-"

"No, no, no. Not those Elements. The _other _ones," Cadance interrupted.

The co-rulers' eyes widened, and they looked at Cadance as though she…well…dropped a bomb. Now it was the two goddesses pacing around the throne room, glancing anxiously at their niece. "Surely you don't mean…Are you sure?" Celestia muttered. "But you don't even have any bearers!"

To this, Cadance gave a sly, all-knowing smile. Her horn began to glow, projecting a magical image onto the throne. A scene began to emerge, and the sight of a humble little building began to form. The love princess beckoned her aunts to come forward to watch, and she said, "Actually, as a matter of fact…I do."

* * *

**What...is...up readers? In case any of you go to FimFiction, this story is also posted there. That site is going to be a week ahead of this one, so if you guys feel like checking it out...and maybe giving me a thumbs up or something...then GO ON AHEAD! Also, there are probably a few things here that I didn't correct or add that I did on FimFic, so yeah.**

**But if not, then feel content to live a comment/review!**


	2. Six Strangers

Ponyville Elementary was absolutely bristling with activity. That is, if "bristling with activity" meant boredom so terrible a pony would rather stick needles in their face than bear through it. Today, Miss Cheerilee was delivering a "riveting" discussion about photosynthesis. Half (if not more) of the students had tuned out the spiel thirty minutes ago, the eyes glued to the ticking clock that always seemed to move too slow. A few colts had their heads plastered to their desks with little specks of drool seeping out of their mouths.

"No Snails. Leaves are not green because they're jealous, although I like your creativity," Cheerilee said gently. She tapped the blackboard and continued, "Leaves are green because of chlorophyll, a pigment in the leaves embedded in the thylakoid-."

The teacher was interrupted in mid-sentence by the ringing of the final bell. Her students immediately jumped out of their seats, hastily heading towards the door as one huge mob. As the students rushed out of the school, Cheerilee called out, "Don't forget to do Assignment 42 in your workbooks!" As the last student shuffled out the door, she whispered, "Bless their little hearts."

The schoolteacher turned to her desk, putting away the books and lesson plans stacked on top. She stuffed a stack of soon-to-be-graded tests into her pack, as well an apple given by one of her students. Although Cheerilee had grown very tired of apples, she simply couldn't leave behind such a touching gift.

"Alright Cheerilee," she uttered while slinging her bag over her back. "You've got a date…with a delicious apple tart."

She turned to leave for the day, but she was stopped short by the sight of a small filly standing in the doorway. She had purple-rimmed glasses and a frazzled red mane, and the poor thing looked very disappointed. The young pony said with a noticeable lisp, "Oh…I didn't know you were busy."

The teacher put down her pack and asked, "What's the matter Twist?"

"Well, I wanted to ask you a question about tonight's homework, but you said you had to get home…I don't want to be a burden…"

"Oh it wouldn't be a burden at all, sweetie!" Cheerilee exclaimed. She motioned to young pony to come forward, saying, "I'd be happy to do anything for one of my students. After all, that's what I'm here to do!"

For the next few minutes, Twist began to explain her questions, and the whole time Cheerilee looked on with utmost tolerance and respect. The thought of her pie waiting at home had been pushed back, and the thought of helping the young filly had taken its place. This was her special talent; this was what she was born to do. And by Celestia's mane, she was going to do it right!

Finally after helping Twist solve one or two problems, the filly scooted out the door, saying, "Thank you Ms. Cheerilee!"

"You're welcome Twist!" Cheerilee replied lovingly. "And remember, I _always_ have time for my students."

* * *

The bell had just rung, and the entire yard was swarming with young ponies eager to get home. Part of that mob was three fillies with bare flanks, talking excitedly about their next venture. They pulled out their patchy, ragged capes while calling out their signature cry, "Cutie Mark Crusaders!"

The orange pegasus told the others happily, "Hey girls. Check this out, I've been practicing!" Scootaloo began to buzz her tiny wings, her face scrunched up in effort. She began to slowly hover up a few feet in the air as her friends watched with admiration. Unfortunately, the valiant attempt didn't last very long. The filly's wings gave up on her, and Scootaloo was sent face first into the dirt.

As she spit out some pebbles, Sweetie Belle said encouragingly, "Wow Scootaloo, that was higher than last time!"

"Ah bet you'll learn ta fly in no time!" Applebloom added.

Scootaloo opened her mouth to thank them, but she was interrupted by a wretched sound in the background. It was as appealing as the sound of hooves scraping against a chalkboard, a bomb exploding, and a dying cat combined. This was the sound of Diamond Tiara's nasally giggle.

The pink pony strolled up to the pegasus on the ground, eyeing her distastefully. Then Diamond said, "Oh look, it's the Flightless Wonder. Don't you ever get tired of falling flat on your face Scootaloo?"

The orange filly got up, wiped the dust off her fur, and replied, "Don't you ever get tired of being an annoying brat?" She began to flap her wings once again, but this time she landed on her bottom.

"Come on Scootaloo, just give up. Don't embarrass yourself any further. Or actually, keep going. It's a real good laugh."

Scootaloo just sneered and said, "As if I care what you think."

"At the rate you're going, you'll never be able to fly."

At this, the pegasus simply had it. She stormed up to the mean filly, stuck her snout in her face, and stared her down with a glare that could bore straight through diamonds. With her voice dripping with venom, Scootaloo said forcefully, "I don't care what you say or what you do, but I am [i]never[/i] going to stop trying. And some day…I'll be zooming circles around you, flying around with the Wonderbolts [i]and[/i] Rainbow Dash. I just know I will. So why don't you just make like the insect you are and buzz off! I need to concentrate."

The filly turned around, leaving her nemesis with her mouth open from shock. Scootaloo made her way down the road, with her two friends following suit. The three had huge grins on their faces, not daring to look back at the pink pony they had left in the schoolyard.

"Oh boy, ya sure showed her, Scootaloo!" Applebloom remarked.

Sweetie Belle snickered and added, "Yeah! Did you see the look on her face after you called her an insect? Priceless!"

"Thanks girls," Scootaloo thanked happily. "Now, let's get back to earning our cutie marks!"

The three friends jumped in the air simultaneously, clapping their hooves while shouting, "CUTIE MARK CRUSADER HEART SURGEONS YAY!"

[hr]

"Three laps to go folks, and the Wonderbolts are barely hanging onto the lead with the Thunder Clouds close on their tails!" the announcer cried over the raucous crowd. The mob of ponies had their eyes a trained on the blurs zooming around Cloud Coliseum, cheering on their idols as the race began to come to an end.

Three of these blurs were Spitfire, Soarin, and a rookie; all of them representing the proud, first-ranked Wonderbolts. Closing in behind him was the number two team and their bitter rivals, the Thunder Clouds. It had been a grueling hundred-lap race, and now the finish-line was in sight.

Soaring and Spitfire led the pack, with the rookie, who was appropriately called Rookie Blue, dragging just a tad bit behind. "Faster!" Spitfire commanded. And on cue, all three slowly began to pick up speed, trying to lose the enemy on the final stretch. But the Thunder Clouds were able to match the Wonderbolts' acceleration, and they still remained close behind.

"Two laps to go!" the announcer yelled as the teams simultaneously crossed the line.

The Clouds began to make a move for the lead, but Wonderbolts would have none of it, cutting them off. They made another move in the opposite direction, but the elite fliers clad in blue kept their small lead. Soarin yelled at a particularly buff pegasus, "Hey Tiny! Your wings too small for that giant bod?"

The pegasus gritted his teeth, and flew toward the savvy veteran. Soarin swiftly dodged out of the way, and the not-so-bright stallion crashed into the stands, effectively eliminating him from the race.

"One down, Spits!" the blue pegasus called. At that moment, the two teams crossed the line again, and the final lap was underway.

The leader of the Thunder Clouds, a sleek black pegasus, had set his sights on the rook, trying to overtake her. However, Blue was a skilled maneuverer, and she cut him off at every turn. The overzealous stallion made a desperate move to take the lead, but the rookie dispatched him with a tap of her hindleg.

Finally, the leader of the Thunder Clouds couldn't take it any longer. He would [i]not[/i] let this…this stupid rook make him look stupid. The stallion lowered his head, and suddenly charged towards Blue, roaring in anger. The rookie looked back to see the pegasus's face flushed with pure rage, barreling straight for her like a missile. She tried to escape, but it seemed that this time, the stallion's attack would not be evaded. So the rook closed her eyes, and braced for impact.

[i]Thud![/i]

The newbie opened her eyes to find that she was still in the air, soaring at high speeds. She glanced behind her see the leader of Thunder Clouds being tackled out of the air, by none other than Soarin. The two barreled into the other member of the Cloud team, and all three went spiraling into the track.

And before she knew it, Rook Blue found herself over the finish line, with the announcer crying out, "And the Wonderbolts win!"

Xxx

Rook sat in the hotel lobby, peeling back her hood to reveal a blue slicked-back mane. Spitfire was sitting across from her, nibbling on a bagel. A gold medal hung around their necks proudly. The rookie was beaming at her first victory, as well as anxious for more races to come.

Suddenly, Soarin walked into the room with a slight limp and a welt on his cheek. He had just gotten back from the infirmary. The young flier saw this, went up to the vet and said, "Soarin! Are you alright?"

"Heh. There isn't anything those stupid Clouds can throw at me that I can't handle," he replied confidently.

"Jeez Soarin, that was a nasty hit you took back there. You could have easily just let that guy run into me. Why-why'd you do it?"

Despite the massive bump on his face, Soarin gave the mare a cool smile. He told her, "You're the newbie, right? Well, how 'bout I'll teach you your first [i]real[/i] lesson."

He slipped off his goggles, revealing a set of eyes that looked perpetually relaxed. He began, "You see kid, we are a team, and we put the team first. We've gotta do what we can so that at the end of the day, we come out on top. And if that means taking a few extra bruises, then fine by me." He then gave a short chuckle and added, "And that's something flight school never teaches you."

"And let me tell ya, Soarin's taken quite his share of bumps and bruises. But without him, I doubt we'd be able to win," Spitfire added, having swallowed the last of her snack.

The leader teased, "Now come on Soarin, ya big baby. We're supposed to be at the Coliseum for press interviews. We would've [i]been[/i] there already, if you hadn't taken so long whining to those docs about that measly little bruise."

Rook smiled as the two veterans strolled out of the room, leaving her to ponder her first lesson.[hr]In the dry, dry desert town of Appleloosa, the sun's hot rays baked the cracked ground until it was almost bleached white. It had been a hard year for the Appleloosians, what with the excruciating heat being almost unbearable. But, just as they had always done, the hardy cowponies had bared through the harsh weather. And with winter coming up, things were looking mighty fine.

Braeburn strolled through the dusty town, making his rounds as he usually did. He gave a friendly tip of the hat to every pony he saw, saying kindly, "How d'you do?" The cowpony smiled at every horse-drawn carriage and horse-[i]drawn[/i] horse-drawn carriage that passed him by. Basically, he took in every little aspect of the modest settlement, and how they had grown so much since its inception almost two years ago. _[i]T'aint much, but it's home[/i],_ Braeburn thought, as he walked into The Salt Block saloon.

Seeing alone at a table, taking a swig of a cool glass of apple cider was Sheriff Silverstar. The mustached pony saw Braeburn walk in, and he greeted, "Well howdy, Braeburn. Quite a hot day, if I do say so myself."

"Well, it ain't nothing we haven't seen before, sir," the yellow stallion replied happily, taking a seat across from the sheriff.

"What can I do for you today, son?" Silverstar asked gruffly.

Braeburn took off his hat, wiped some sweat off his brow, and began, "Well ya see sheriff…the tree orchard's been plagued with them pesky venomfang rat critters. Ah was hopin' y'all could lend a hoof to help clear 'em out."

Sheriff Silverstar put down his mug of cider, glanced quickly at the floor, and replied, "Sorry Braeburn, but I'm afraid there's been a bit of trouble with some buffalo down south. I don't have time to help you right now."

But as the sheriff said this, Braeburn caught wind of something. It was a certain glint in the sheriff's eye, and the way he had glanced away for just a split second. Braeburn could sense a smidge of uncertainty in the old stallion's voice, so small it was almost non-existent. But it was there. By golly, it was there.

The yellow cowpony gave a small chuckle and said, "Come on now Sheriff, you and Ah both know that ain't the complete truth."

The mustached stallion opened his mouth to defend himself, but then the two stallions locked eyes. Silverstar looked straight into that smug little glare Braeburn was so good at doing. Unwavering. Unmoving. Unmatchable. Finally, the sheriff broke into an embarrassed grin and said, "Well, I should've known not to try and pull a fast one on good ol' Braeburn. I don't know how you do it, but you can spot a little white lie a mile away."

"Ah guess honesty sorta runs in the family," Braeburn replied with a tip of his hat. "Now come on, help me clear out them critters. Then you can go watch them dramatic detective shows you love so much."[hr]

Ponyville wasn't exactly the busiest hospital in Equestria. In fact if it wasn't for the pegasi crashing into buildings and Pinkie Pie's "firework extravapaloosa", the staff probably would never have work. But today was a different day. Today, the doctors were about to attempt a rare feat in Ponyville. A surgery.

The surgery: Open heart. The patient: a month-old foal.

The poor colt was born with severe heart defect, and needless to say, the doctors were anxious to perform the life-saving surgery. They were prepping themselves for the patient, slipping on their rubber hoof-gloves and surgery masks. The elite team was ready. That is, if the patient would actually [i]arrive[/i].

Back in one of the hospital rooms, the tiny colt cried hysterically. The baby flailed his hooves to and fro, not allowing any nurse to get near him. One young nurse was absolutely flabbergasted, not knowing what to do with the shrieking foal. The painful screaming pierced her very heart, and the nurse stepped out of the room on the verge of tears.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of galloping hooves down the hallway. Rounding the corner with a stretcher was a white earth pony with a big red cross on her flank. Her pink mane was tied up in a bun, and her face was one of urgency.

"Nurse Redheart!" the young nurse exclaimed, relieved to see some help. "Thank Luna you're here! I just can't get the poor thing to calm down!"

Redheart nodded, telling her associate, "Just get the stretcher prepped and ready." Then the white mare slipped into the room, coming face-to-face with the crying foal.

For a moment, the nurse could see the pain in the frail figure's eyes. The pain, the sadness, the fear. She returned the glare with a sad gaze of her own. Then the nurse slowly made her way to the bed, whispering, "Shhh…there, there sweetheart. It's okay. You'll be okay."

For some reason, the foal ceased his flailing, still continuing to cry out. Redheart was able to gently carry the young pony, and she took him in a warm embrace. Despite his fearful shrieks, the nurse held the poor figure close, tenderly rubbing his barely-formed mane. She continued to whisper, "Shhh. Everything will be okay."

This continued for about a minute, as the young nurse outside watched intently, hoping for some kind of breakthrough. The foal's crying slowly began to cease, becoming just random spurts of weeping. Finally the sound of the colt's misery faded away, and the poor child rested his head on Redheart's shoulders, his eyes closed in gentle slumber. Redheart gave a calm smile, and whispered, "Good night, sweetheart."

The pony walked out of the room holding the colt carefully in her hooves. She slowly lowered the child onto the stretcher. Redheart looked at the serene, innocent child's face, and she couldn't help but shred a tiny tear. [i]So small…so fragile[/i] she thought as she began to whisk the colt away.

The nurse and her tiny passenger arrived at the surgery room, where other nurses took over. Redheart gave a curt nod as the sleeping baby was wheeled away, not knowing the intense operation he was about to undergo.

The other nurse had followed the white mare, and she asked, "Redheart…how…how were you able to get him to calm down? He's been crying nonstop for days!"

Redheart took off her nurse's cap, heaving a long sigh before replying, "It just takes a gentle touch and a kind heart. The poor thing. He's in so much pain. It just breaks my heart seeing a poor foal like this. But…I can tell he's a strong one. He'll pull through."

"What makes you say that?" the young nurse questioned.

With an unwavering voice, the mare answered, "I can see it in his eyes, Tenderheart. I've been here a long time, and believe me; I understand what that child is going through. Seen it one too many times. And I know he's going to come out fine."

Xxx

Only a day later, Redheart watched tenderly as a giggling little colt was swept up in the embrace of his crying mother. [hr]

"Hit me," uttered a unicorn stallion, tapping the table with his cards.

The place was Las Pegasus. More specifically; Maynn casino, the swankiest casino in the entire city. Only the high-class elites paid a visit to the Maynn, both literally and figuratively. Only the richest of the rich ever saw the ivory fountains and golden light fixtures that graced this dazzling hotel. Here, the casual wear was silk tuxedo jackets and long silk gowns. This was the place where the rich tycoons and business moguls came to share a drink or waste their bits on a game of blackjack.

Sitting quietly at a blackjack table was a gray unicorn stallion. His black mane was spiked back, and his sky-blue eyes gleamed with self-assurance. Three four-leaf clovers graced his flank.

The unicorn shared the table with four other contestants, all them just looking to spend some pocket-change. But this stallion wasn't like the others. Sure, he wore the designer vest, the pinstripe shirt, and the silk Istallian neck tie. But he was no business tycoon, no stock-market stallion. If one didn't know him any better, they would call him a self-made pony.[i]He[/i], on the other hand, would rather describe himself as a pure [i]winner[/i]. His domain was the gambling room; his entire earnings won by skill…and luck.

After all, they didn't call him Lucky for a reason.

The dealer handed him his next card. Lucky gave a quick glance at his opponents' faces, before giving another to his cards. A two, a five, and a queen. 17. His face was absolutely emotionless, and his sleeves were rolled up as though he was about to get to work.

Behind him, a Trottingham pegasus with a fedora and a bowtie whispered, "I think you should stand, friend."

But the unicorn just raised his eyebrows, and tapped the table while saying, "Hit me."

"Are you crazy Lucky?" the pegasus chided.

But Lucky gave his friend a confident smirk, and addressed the dealer, "You heard what I said. Hit me."

The dealer passed him another card. The pegasus held his breath as Lucky revealed the card for only them two to see.

A three.

The pegasus let out a sigh, and whispered, "Don't push your luck, friend."

Lucky paused for a second, taking to time to survey his opponent's faces. Two had already elected to stand, and one was so drunk he could barely comprehend what was going on. But the last opponent, a savvy looking unicorn, had a noticeably different air about him. Lucky had played this game too long to [i]not[/i] notice these types of players. That stallion just emanated smugness, and Lucky didn't like that one bit.

Then the unicorn stared the deck in the dealer's hooves, and for some reason, he could feel something coming from those cards. An instinct. A gut feeling. Whatever it was, Lucky seemed to be convinced it was good.

"I've pushed my luck further before, mate," Lucky told his fellow Trottingham stallion. Then he tapped his cards and said assertively, "Hit me."

The other ponies turned towards the daring unicorn, staring at him in shock. Even the half-drunk stallion stared at him with his mouth agape. After all, Lucky already had four cards in his hoof. Surely the unicorn [i]couldn't[/i] be serious.

But Lucky was as serious as serious could be. Reluctantly, the dealer handed out the final card.

The gray stallion stared at the card intently, and his eyebrows rose in surprise. However, with Lucky, one could never tell what he was thinking. So the opponents held their breath.

Finally, he flipped his cards to reveal…

An Ace of Spades.

Lucky smiled at the other players triumphantly, uttering a single word. "Blackjack."

xxx

The Trottingham duo strolled out of the hotel with their huge bags of gold in tow. The pegasus hovered in the air and began to cheerily twirl around, absolutely beaming from their winnings. Lucky gave a short chuckle, being a bit more subtle. That is, as subtle as he could be while levitating multiple bags of cash near his face.

The pegasus said in disbelief, "I can't believe it, Lucky! You won on the final hit five times in a row! How do you do it, mate? You don't…count 'em, do you?"

The unicorn immediately scoffed at the notion, and he replied, "Come on Snake Eyes, you know I'm not a counter. You can watch my horn if you want, but I was raised to play the game fair and square. Always have, always will."

Snake Eyes flew backwards, facing his partner. He said, "Alright, I believe ya friend. But still…you never cease to amaze me. How [i]do[/i] you manage to win it all?"

"I'm pretty sure I told you this before, Snake," Lucky answering, giving a friendly wink. He continued, "Sometimes…sometimes you just gotta believe that what you're doing is right. It's a…a gut feeling, you know? And a pony [i]has[/i] to go with his gut, am I right? Besides, they don't call me Lucky for nothing!"

"Haha! I swear mate, you've got more luck in your left ear than anypony in the entire country!"

Lucky returned his friend's light-hearted laughter with a bout of his own. Then he shook one of the bags of bits and offered, "Now then, why don't we head down the street and get some bagels? I'm buying!"[hr]

"Well? What do you think? I know how to pick 'em, right?" Cadance asked as the projection faded away.

"I suppose so," Celestia replied. "But they hardly know each other! We would need time for them to train and-."

"I'm afraid there's no time!" Cadance interrupted. She beckoned a Royal Guard to come forward and deliver a message. Then the love princess added, "Besides, Twilight and her friends were able to do it. I'm sure these strangers can too!"


	3. Bearers of Love

The gray unicorn marched down the seemingly endless hallway, surrounded on all four sides by a Royal Guard. He made a show of straightening his tie nonchalantly, even though he was utterly terrified underneath. To his right, a pegasus guard wouldn't stop glaring at him angrily. And if looks could kill, Lucky would have been obliterated into bits and pieces five times over. For when the guards came to deliver a message, the unicorn immediately panicked and tossed a multitude of bagels at the guard's face, sending him into the Maynn fountain. [i]It's not my fault he looked at me funny,[/i] Lucky thought.

Suddenly, he was harshly shoved in the flank through a large door. He muttered, "Watch it buddy. This suit probably cost more than you." But then the unicorn turned around to see not one, not two, but three alicorn princesses standing before him.

"Whatever it is, I swear I didn't do it," Lucky quickly said, his eyes darting nervously between the pink alicorn before him and the two standing in the back. "I mean…yes, I may have run with some bad groups before but-."

Cadance shook her head and smiled gently at the misguided unicorn. She told him, "You're not in trouble Lucky. I just called you in to talk."

"Oh…" Lucky muttered, his ears drooping and his cheeks turning red. He gave an embarrassed smile, cleared his throat, and continued, "Well then…disregard what I just said, heh. So…with all due respect, what was it you wanted to talk about Princess?"

"Just a few moments. There's a few more I'm waiting for. Feel free to take a seat over there," Cadance replied, pointing to the table where her aunts waited. Lucky obeyed, and took a chair just a few feet away from the royal mistresses. He stirred in his chair uncomfortably, unsure of how to address the situation. After all, he was sitting right across from royalty, and surely he couldn't just nod his head awkwardly and greet them with, "Um, top of the morning." But, in the end, that was exactly what he did.

Lucky was saved from more awkward conversation when another stallion strolled through the doors. [i]Doesn't look like much[/i], Lucky thought, sizing up the second guest. He looked like just a regular farm-pony, staring in awe at the wonders of Canterlot Castle.

Braeburn gazed at the glimmering silver chandeliers, the majestic throne, and the intricate stained-glass bordering the room. He took in the building's sheer elegance, something that Appleloosa lacked. It was all so new, in fact, that he had failed to notice the pink princess standing in his path.

Braeburn suddenly collided against Princess Cadance, snapping him out of his thoughts. He glanced up to see the alicorn's gleaming purple eyes staring right back at him. Then he caught a glimpse of the golden crown on her head, and the cowpony immediately kneeled before her presence, stammering, "Y-your Majesty! Ah-ah'm sorry. Ah didn't mean to bump into you like that!"

But to his surprise, the pink alicorn helped the stallion to his feet, and answered sweetly, "Oh don't worry Braeburn. Although I am flattered, there's no need for the formalities. Thank you though. And please, you may call me Cadance."

"No problem Your Majesty…Ah mean Cadance." Braeburn tipped his hat and shuffled over to take a seat next to the gray unicorn. The two sat together silently, not even acknowledging each other with some kind of nod or wave. The stallions certainly couldn't look any more different; Lucky wore an expensive vest and a tie, while Braeburn wore his simple farm work clothes.

Meanwhile, just outside, three mares walked towards the throne room. One of them, an orange filly, hopped along while examining the stone sentries lining the walls. Scootaloo exclaimed, "Wow! Look at those statues! This place is so cool!"

"Now Scootaloo, please calm down and mind your manners. We're in Celestia's Castle, and we have to show her some respect," a purple mare said.

"Yes Miss Cheerilee." Scootaloo rejoined the other two mares, staying close to her schoolteacher's legs.

Nurse Redheart eyed the filly tenderly. The nurse had traded in her scrubs for a woolen green sweater, but she still wore her signature cap proudly. She told Cheerilee, "She's a cute one. You must be proud."

"What? Oh sorry, I'm not her mother. I'm just her teacher."

"Well where is her mother then?" Redheart questioned.

Cheerilee immediately looked away and pretended to clear her throat. But seeing as though the nurse was expecting an answer, the teacher began, "Oh…ahem…well you see...OH LOOK, it's the throne room! We'd better not keep the princesses waiting!"

The teacher quickly burst into the room, slightly surprised to see Cadance standing before her and not the other two sisters. She was about to bow respectfully, but Cadance interrupted, "There's no need, Miss Cheerilee. Please take a seat over there."

With almost everypony present, Cadance was anxiously awaiting for the final member to arrive. But the seconds soon turned to minutes, and minutes…a half-hour. By now, the pink alicorn began to tap the ground, biting her lip impatiently. She locked her eyes on the empty chair at the table, her patience running a tad bit thin. But nonetheless, Cadance had to play it cool, and she retained her calm demeanor in front of the guests.

She told them calmly, "We only have one guest left, but apparently he's running a bit late. I wonder where he-."

Right on cue, a light blue blur bursted through the ceiling, spinning wildly into the marble floor. He skid along the polished ground on his stomach before coming to a stop at Cadance's hooves. The stallion was dressed in his formal blue attire, with his sleeves rolled high and his tie hanging loose. He might have looked quite dapper, if it wasn't for the cherry filling splattered all over his collar.

Soarin quickly hopped upright, wiping off a few crumbs lining his mouth. He sputtered, "Sorry I'm late Princess! A little bakery had this awesome cherry pie in their window and I had to…"

Soarin saw the others' narrowed eyes glaring right at him. He attempted a cool smile, trying to divert their attention from the giant gaping hole he had left in the ceiling. He raised a hoof in greeting and said, "Um…'Sup?"

"Yes, well, I suppose we shall get a few guards to fix that," Princess Luna spoke. "But until then…Cadance, 'tis your turn to speak."

"Thanks Auntie," the pink alicorn replied, happy to finally get this important meeting underway. She addressed the six figures sitting idly before her, "I suppose you're probably wondering why I summoned you here. And trust me, I will explain the entire situation soon. But first things first, let's get straight to business. Come with me." Princess Cadance made her way to a spot by the throne. She casted a magical spell on the chair, and with a click, the throne raised up to reveal a secret passageway. "Well don't be shy," she said kindly, beckoning them to follow. Although all six exchanged confused looks, they all stood up and followed the alicorn deep into the recesses of the castle.

As the group treaded through the dark hallway, Cadance iterated, "Perhaps you have heard of the Elements of Harmony, yes? They are the symbols used by the Royal Sisters to keep peace across the land. They have bearers as well, and some of you probably know them personally."

She led them into a stone room, almost barren except for a large stone altar in the middle and two carvings in the wall. One depicted a six-pointed star surrounded by five orbs, each containing a different design. The other looked similar, except with a heart replacing the star and with six orbs. For some reason, each orb was blank, as though whoever had made the carving had left it unfinished.

As the six ponies took their place around the stone altar, Cadance continued, "Well, there is another set of Elements. A sort of…extension of the first six if you will. They are called the Elements of Love, and they are used to spread compassion and understanding throughout the land just as the Elements of Harmony spread peace and tolerance. And also like the Elements of Harmony, they need bearers." She cast her kind gaze upon each of the six and stated, "And those bearers, my little ponies, are you."

Cheerile exchanged a surprised glance with Redheart, with Scootaloo caught in the middle. Braeburn whispered something to Soarin, who just raised his eyebrows. Finally, Lucky uttered what everypony in the room was thinking. "You [i]can't[/i] be serious."

"I understand that this may come as a shock to you all," Cadance replied patiently. "I have personally selected each and every one of you. I have seen you do great things for your friends, family, and even complete strangers. And you all embody one of the six Elements better than anyone else."

Her horn began to glow with a deep purple magic. First it flowed from the carving to her horn. But then suddenly, Cadance directed the magic towards Soarin. At first, it took all his willpower to keep from jumping back in surprise. But then a warm feeling overcame the pegasus, travelling through every corner of his body. His heart rate slowed, and every muscle in his body felt so relaxed. More relaxed than they normally were, anyway.

The love princess said, "Love is full of sacrifices. One must be willing to give up a part of themselves for the sake of another. Soarin, your willingness to carry a burden for the betterment of others, even if it means physical harm, has earned you…the Element of Self-Sacrifice!" Suddenly, one of the orbs in the carving lit up, casting a bright light on the dim room. The glowing soon subsided, revealing a new carving in the orb in the shape of a winged lightning bolt.

The pegasus gaped at the marking and uttered a single word, "Rad."

Cadance turned the magic to the schoolteacher, and recited, "In true love, there is a flame. A spark that gives a pony the will to do whatever they can for another. Cheerilee, your complete devotion to your students and love for what you do makes you…the Element of Passion!" Another glow, and another new carving. This time, in the shape of a flower.

The cowpony's turn was next. "In love, one cannot have secrets. One must always be able to tell the truth, as well as see the truth. Braeburn, your uncanny ability to see past the veil of lies and deceit, as well as the ability to stay true to yourself, earns you…the Element of Truth!" Braeburn watched as his cutie mark joined the others', taking some comfort in knowing his cousin had gone through this before.

"With love, a pony is able to know what another is going through, revel in their joy, and comfort them in their pain. Nurse Redheart, your ability to feel another's happiness and despair, as well as ease their sadness, gives you…the Element of Understanding!" The medic saw her cutie-mark appear on the wall, acknowledging it with a polite nod.

When Lucky's turn came along, the look of anxiety was plain on his face. But like Soarin, he felt the magic rush through his veins and began to calm down. That, plus Cadance's naturally soothing voice, allowed the gambler to relax. "When it comes to love, there is much to be unsure about. But one has to be able to push aside uncertainty and leap into the unknown, believing that there's goodness ahead. Lucky, your uncommon belief that fortune will come your way even when things seem grim makes you…the Element of Faith!"

Finally, the alicorn turned to the filly, smiling compassionately while saying, "And little Scootaloo. True love is able to pass through trials, put behind the hardships, and stand against the tests of time itself. And your ability to keep trying even after what seems to be failure earns you…the Element of Perseverance." This time however, unlike the others, the orb remained blank. Scootaloo couldn't help but look at her flank sadly, feeling just a slight bit embarrassed.

But nonetheless, Cadance continued, "Each of you represents an element that true benevolence needs to survive. Without any one of these, compassion ceases to exist. Together, you are the ELEMENTS OF LOVE!" Upon saying this, the now-completed carving exploded in a flash of light that enveloped the entire room. The flash swallowed the group in its warm embrace, and a magical gust of wind flowed throughout the stone chamber.

When the light died down, each of the six found a mystical circlet wrapped around their necks. Each of the golden artifacts had a jewel matching their cutie-marks, practically glowing with magical power. The newly-crowned Elements of Love were in absolute awe, trying to grasp the newfound power thrust upon them.

Scootaloo marveled over the beautiful necklace, fawning over the flawless emerald embedded into the gold. But then she said, "This is cool and all but…now what do we do? Go around and kiss everypony we see?"

"I'd be down with that," Soarin commented.

"No Scootaloo. There _is_ a reason as to why I've chosen you _now_," Cadance answered after a small chuckle. "You see, I need you all to defeat a deadly unknown force threatening to swallow the land in darkness."

Lucky uttered, "Oh cool…wait. What?"


	4. The Opposite of Love is Bagels

"Sorry, I must have misheard you there, Princess. I could have sworn you said we were fighting a 'deadly unknown force'," Lucky said, punctuating his words with nervous laughter.

"Oh no, you heard it correctly," Cadance answered.

Lucky's attempt at a smile deflated into a scowl. He waved his hooves to and fro, shouting, "Are you daft?"

Braeburn subdued the unicorn's incessant flailing, uttering, "Now now mister. Why don't ya calm down an' show some respect."

"Well pardon me, but I didn't sign up to go into deadly battle with an unknown force," spat Lucky.

"This kind princess [i]bestowed[/i] this…this honor on you. The least y'all can do is hear her out."

Princess Cadance immediately casted a calming spell on the two stallions, and they slowly released their grasp. However, the two continued to glare at each other in annoyance while the alicorn said, "I'm sorry I had to do that. But there this is no time to be fighting, so please listen."

Braeburn and Lucky opened their mouths to reply, but Redheart interrupted, saying, "We're listening, Princess Cadance."

The princess gave the nurse a benevolent smile. But the smile soon turned into a bitter grimace as Cadance began to recant her awful tale. "Two days ago, my kingdom was suddenly attacked. Not by invaders or bandits, but by something I can only explain…as dark magic."

The six gasped in unison, and Cadance shook her head grimly. With her ears drooping and her eyes shut, she continued, "All of a sudden, the skies turned black, as though a shroud had encased the kingdom. Then…it started to attack. It struck my castle first, devouring it into its deep darkness. Then it moved on, striking populated areas such as the Equestrian Embassy and Gemstone Plaza."

"It was unlike anything we had ever seen before. A huge shadow washing over the land, weaving through the streets like it had a mind of its own. We tried to fight it, but every time we struck it with magic, it grew and grew." She turned back to the Elements with a resentful glare, and finished, "So in the end, my subjects were evacuated. And my kingdom…abandoned."

Lucky raised his hoof skeptically, capturing the princess's attention. With a twinge of doubt lacing his voice, the gambler said, "And what makes you think we can stop it, huh? You said it yourself, magic doesn't work."

Cadance replied, "Like I said before, this…entity…was the work of dark magic. And after seeing the way it seemed to move around targeting key landmarks before attacking the rest of the city, I came to the conclusion that this was a planned attack. After all, magic has to come from somewhere, right? The question is: who or what is causing this dark magic?"

She waved her hoof towards the six and stated, "And that's where you six come in. You must find the source of this evil, and use your powers to destroy it."

"Okay…but how will we locate it?" Soarin asked, slouching forward on the stone altar.

"I'm glad you asked, Soarin. For that is your first destination. Rumors have it that tomes and scrolls of dark magic are stored somewhere inside a place called The Frost Star Sanctuary. It's home to the Frost Star Mages, a very…reclusive group dedicated to studying ancient magic. Not surprisingly, they've denied all claims of it. You must find out where those tomes are and bring them back here."

"I've heard of that place," Cheerilee commented. But she furrowed her brow confusedly, meekly saying, "But, um…Princess? Isn't that place off limits to everypony except the Mages?

Princess Cadance scratched the back of her head and bit her lip, and her attempt to hide that measly little detail was dashed by Cheerilee's intellect. Finally, the pink alicorn confessed, "Well…yes."

Xxx

"Well [i]I[/i] most certainly cannot believe this," Lucky uttered, sitting in the castle courtyard with his head cradled in his hooves.

The six were gathered just outside of the castle awaiting further orders. They were, for the most part, speechless from the task Cadance had just given them. Each one glanced unsurely at the strangers they were to call "friends", and most kept their mouths shut. Lucky, however, was a bit more active, muttering to himself while shaking his head.

Finally, Scootaloo told the worried unicorn, "Jeez mister, take a chill pill or something."

Lucky replied in disbelief, "How is it that a little filly is saner than me right now?"

"Relax man. The princess said to take this time to rest and get ready," Soarin said. He flapped his wings and began to hover above the ground, watching the others from above. With his hooves tucked behind his head in relaxation, the pegasus told them, "Besides, I think if we're gonna be stuck together, we might as well introduce ourselves. Name's Soarin. I'm a-."

"A Wonderbolt!" Scootaloo squealed, watching the athletic pegasus in awe. The filly then gave an embarrassed smile and apologized, "Sorry, I'm just a fan and all."

"Never heard of em," Lucky muttered to nopony in particular.

Soarin didn't hear the unicorn's subtle remark, and he said to the orange pegasus, "Thanks. Always good to see the younger fans. What's your name?"

"My name's Scootaloo."

"That's a nice name," a white mare said benignly. "Mine is Redheart. I'm a nurse down at Ponyville hospital."

"Pleased ta meetcha ma'am. Ah've always had a lotta respect for nurses an' doctors," the cowpony said politely, giving a kind tip of the hat. "As for me, mah name's Braeburn. Ah live down in Appleloosa, working an apple orchard."

"Psh, what a surprise," Lucky scoffed, this time a bit louder than the last.

Braeburn caught this, and gave the gambler a spiteful glare. Scowling, the earth pony asked, "Excuse me?"

"Oh. Nothing."

Not willing to let the conversation go, Braeburn spat, "An' what about you, Mr. Sasspants? What's yer name? Ah can already tell by yer fancy clothes that you're one of them rich, stuck-up fellas."

The unicorn stood up, adjusting his tie snidely. Then he stomped over to the yellow stallion and replied, "Well my name's Lucky, first of all. And second, I don't need some apple farmer to call me stuck-up."

"Someone oughta call you 'Lucky Ah Don't Get Bucked in the Face'."

The two stallion's foreheads pressed together as Braeburn got up in his opponent's face. They simultaneously gritted their teeth in anger, stamping at the ground as though they were ready to charge. Some of the static from the meeting earlier had definitely carried over, manifesting itself into rage.

But before the two could spew some more particularly venomous comments at each other, the purple mare popped up and shouted, "And I'm Cheerilee!" The stallions backed off and turned their attention to Cheerilee, who breathed a sigh of relief. She continued, "I'm a teacher down in Ponyville Elementary."

"The nicest teacher in Equestria!" Scootaloo added.

"Oh, you live in Ponyville too? Why haven't we met?" Nurse Redheart asked.

"Well actually, we have. You almost…ran me over with your ambulance…" Cheerilee's voice died down, and both mares looked away awkwardly, pretending some imaginary figure had caught their eye.

Finally, Lucky threw his hooves up, rolling his eyes apathetically. His slowly ran his hooves through his spiky mane and began to make his way toward the town, saying with mock-enthusiasm, "Well I'm [i]certainly[/i] glad we've gotten to know each other. Now if you'll excuse me, I have [i]got[/i] to find a place with some good bagels."

"What's with the bagel fetish, bro?" Soarin asked from above, slowly trailing the unicorn.

"It's [i]not[/i] a fetish. That's gross. And besides, it's my favorite snack. I can't go a day without one."

"Why?"

"It's a long story. Let's just say…I've been to places." And with that, the unicorn casted the pegasus away, ready to journey into the streets of Canterlot.

He didn't get very far. He was barely a few feet away, as a matter of fact, before Braebrun said, "Why doncha just get from the castle?"

"Oh please. They're the rulers of Equestria; they'd never eat peasant food like bagels," Lucky dismissed, pausing his stride to answer.

Soarin contemplated, "Come to think of it, I'd really like to finish off that pie…"

"And I haven't had my coffee this morning," Redheart commented.

"Aww shucks, fellas. Who knows when Cadance'll come back?" Braeburn scolded. He turned around to take a gander at the gorgeous striped spires that seemed to touch the sky; the literal pinnacles of the beautiful castle. He said, "An' besides, why would anypony want to leave this…"

But when Braebrun turned around again, he found himself alone in the courtyard, talking to the statues lining the walkway. "…palace." Braebrun finished glumly, exhaling a long sigh. Seeing as though he had no other choice, the hardworking stallion trotted out of the courtyard, mumbling his complaints under his breath.

As it would happen, Canterlot was a lot bigger than he had imagined. To him, the bustling village had to have been at least ten times bigger than Appleloosa. The bright sun shone down on the equine citizens, although the weather seemed to always be at the perfect temperature. The streets swarmed with elite ponies, hastily making their way to who knows where. Carriages rolled up and down the stone-paved streets, carrying cargo and passengers alike. And it was noontime; the time when everypony was trotting around, looking to grab a bite.

Braeburn spent at least thirty minutes roaming the streets, trying to find a hint of his lost comrades. And as every minute passed, the cowpony's annoyance grew. [i]Where in the hay is everypony?[/i] he thought, scanning the busy street before him.

Finally, his eyes lighted on a small building at the corner of the block. A large plastic donut stood above a sign that read "PONY JOE'S". Inside, Braeburn could faintly make out two figures having a heated argument, one of which wore a silk Istallian tie. With steam coming out of his nostrils, Braeburn galloped over to the shop.

"What do you mean you don't have bagels here, mate? You've got donuts! Why not bagels?" Lucky complained, tapping his hooves on the counter.

Pony Joe replied gruffly, "This ain't no coffee shop, mister! We make sweets here, not bagels! If you don't like it, you can take your tacky, prancy vest and get outta my shop!"

Needless to say, Lucky wasn't too happy with somepony insulting his clothes. His horn began to glow and donuts began to levitate off the shelves, surrounded by light green magic. "Tacky?" he cried indignantly. "Why this vest probably cost more than your entire shop, you little-."

Before he could finish his sentence, somepony suddenly pulled on his tail, and the donuts fell onto the floor. He fought against the pull, but Braeburn's strong body was able to drag him out of the donut shop. Lucky rubbed his rump and tried to defend himself, but Braeburn quickly told him, "Cadance told us to stay at the castle, what in tarnation do you think yer doing?

"Calm down Saddlesore, I was just grabbing a bite," the unicorn replied, wiping off his sleeves as he stood up.

"Really? Because it looked ta me like you were given that man a hard time!" Braeburn returned. "And also, we're a team, Lucky. You can't be wanderin' off willy-nilly. We're supposed ta stick together."

"It's not like I freakin' went anywhere, mate!" Lucky answered angrily.

Just on cue, Soarin and Redheart strolled in, the former holding a cherry pie, and the latter holding a hot coffee cup. The commotion had caught their attention, and Soarin whispered, "Who put a turd in their coffee?"

Redheart looked down at her drink distastefully. Spurred on by the other two's fighting, the nurse said irefully, "That's [i]real[/i] mature. We're in a serious position; you shouldn't be joking around!"

"Jeez, chill out nurse!"

"I'm sorry, but we can't be relaxed all the time like you!" Redheart replied, waving his coffee around. In her incessant flailing, she accidently smacked the plate Soarin was holding. To his horror, the delectable cherry-flavored treat was sent twirling to the ground, landing in a heart-wrenching splatter.

Soarin crouched down, scooping up the remains of his pie sadly. "You…monster…" he uttered, tentatively licking the sweet nectar.

At that moment, Cheerilee and Scootaloo decided to join in, having taken a short learning tour about the history of Canterlot. Scoots's face had drooped with boredom, but seeing Redheart smack the Wonderbolt veteran's pie made her leap up and shout, "Hey, don't talk to him like that!"

The filly rushed off towards the group with Cheerilee calling out, "Scootaloo!"

But the teacher was too late to stop the incoming madness that was about to ensue. Scootaloo bumped wildly into Nurse Redheart, causing her to lose her grip on the cup. The lid flipped open, and the hot liquid flew through the air before deciding to land directly on Soarin's exposed face.

Unsurprisingly, the pegasus didn't enjoy having scalding hot coffee poured on his skin, and he instinctively shot into the air, grasping his face in pain. The pegasus, covering his eyes with his hoof, barreled blindly into Lucky, and the two stallions tumbled along the ground. Braeburn attempted to back away from the utter wreck, but he slipped on the remains of Soarin's pie, and crashed straight into Miss Cheerilee. At that precise moment, Pony Joe stormed into the battlefield, yelling at the six about how they had "splattered an entire supply of éclairs across the damn floor". Then the volatile scene erupted into a flurry of arguments that certainly had nothing to do with love or harmony.

And surrounding the six Elements were Canterlot's elite, unable to take their eyes off the "absolutely hilarious" fight.

xxx

Meanwhile, from the safety of Canterlot Castle, another elite group of spectators were viewing the antics of the Elements of Love. Cadance had opened a magical portal to keep surveillance on how the six were doing. And…frankly…they could have been doing better.

"Well they look like they are having fun," Luna commented, slightly amused.

"Perhaps this isn't going to be as smooth as I thought…" Cadance uttered as she watched her newly crowned Elements of Love act extremely…uncompassionate.

"Are you sure they can handle infiltrating the Razor Stars?" Celestia asked. "By the looks of it, they can't even handle finding something to eat."

"Maybe I will have to guide them, but I know they can pull it off," Cadance replied, although she was unable to hide the anxiety in her voice. She added, "Besides, I [i]have[/i] to trust them. If we wait any longer…there won't be any Crystal Kingdom left to save."


End file.
